Digital technologies played an important role in both the marketing and consumption of the Avengers film franchise. For marketing, 14 trailers of varying lengths were released online through iTunes to generate hype and interest in different characters. Additionally, a live Twitter chat with the director and actors helped promote the film online. Digital technologies also enabled viral marketing through leaked images shared on social media. Audiences were then able to consume the film through various digital formats like DVD, Blu-ray, and digital download. Related apps also allowed fans to interact with the franchise in new ways. While merchandise was also successful without digital technologies, the film's overall success was largely due to how digital marketing created awareness and excitement around the product.

1. Evaluate the role of digital technologies in the marketing and consumption of
products in the media area you have studied.
The mediaarea I will be referencingis‘The Avengers’filmfranchise,released26April 2012 in the
UK. Digital technologieshasanimportantrole inthe marketingandconsumptionof filmmedia
products,as it widensthe availabilityof filmmediaprojectproductsandeffectivelycreates
awarenessof the Product. (Here theyhave introducedthe mainargument of theiressayintheir
openingparagraph)
(Thisparagraphexploresthe firstpartof the question – marketing) Byusingdigital technologiesin
marketing,itincreasesthe numberof people whosee the product,as‘The Avengers’greatlyusedit
to create anticipationforthe product(Theyhave made theirfirstpointhere). There were atotal of
14 trailers,bothteaserandfull-lengthtrailerswhichwere all availablefordownloadoniTunes,and
by creatingsomany,whichall advertiseddifferentcharacters orparts of the narrative,itmeantthe
audience wouldwanttoconsume theirmajorproduct.Forexample,one teasertrailerfocusedona
fewcharactersincludingIronman,the HulkandCaptainAmerica,where asthe full-lengthtrailers
introducedusto all of the keyprotagonists,sothe role iscontributedto,as differentmembersof
the audience wouldfindadifferentcharactersappealing.Inadditiontothis,digital technologiesplay
an importantrole as part of marketingdue toa a lotof ‘The Avengers’marketingstrategybeing
online.There wasa30 minute live global Twitterchattomarketthe filmwiththe directorand
Samuel L.JacksonandChrisEvans present,allowingfanstoask questionsandfindoutinformation
aboutthe film,andbyusingthisdigital technologyformarketing,itsuggeststhatmore people
wouldbecome attractedtothe product andwouldbecome interested,sowouldwanttoconsume
the product.This isevidence of digitaltechnologyhavingabigrole in thismediaarea.
Furthermore, digitaltechnologieswerealsousedforviral marketing,asimagesof RobertDowneyJr
inan Acufa,whichis a car thatfans wouldinstantlyrecogniseandassociate with‘The Avengers’was
leakedonline,whichmeantfanscouldspreadthe picturesandpublicityforthe filmwasbeing
createddue to thisassociationof a well-knownactoranda vehicle fromthe films,sothisispart of
synergy,anddigital technologieseffectivelyhelpedtomarketthe product,soit isveryimportantfor
technologiestobe involvedinmarketing.
Digital technologiesare importantinthe consumptionof the productaswell,asmanymembersof
audienceswoulduse itinordertoviewthe product.Aspart of the exhibitionof ‘The Avengers’,it
was releasedinSeptember2012 on DVD,Blu-ray,3-D Blu-rayandwas available fordigital download.
Thismeantthat that the audience members,mainlymaleandfemale agedunder25 inthese two
quadrantsof the four,wouldbe able toview the filminaway that appealedtothem, astheycould
downloaditfromiTunes,andprovide digitaltechnologiestheycouldn’tdosotoconsume the film,
so the role isveryimportant.Inadditiontothis,Digital technologyallowsforappsforphonesand
tabletstobe createdanddownloaded,aspartof marketingthe mediaproduct.Thisisextremely
beneficial forbothinstitutionsandaudiences,andthere wereappscreatedfor‘The Avengers’that
couldnot have beenmade withoutdigitaltechnologies.The appincludeda‘SuperheroAugmented
RealityApp’,inwhichuserscouldplayastheirfavourite superherofromthe film,andthere was
anothercalled‘AvengersAlliance’,whichwasavailabletodownloadfromthe AppStore oniTunes.
Thisallowedthe audiencetoconsume the productina differentwayandinteract‘The Avengers’
franchise,andastechnologyhasdeveloped,itmeantagreateraudience wasbeingtargetedandthe
role of digital technologiesinmarketingandconsumptionisextremelyvital ingeneratingawareness
and create an appeal.

2. On the otherhand,it couldbe arguedthat the role of digital technologiesisnotextremely
significant.Merchandise isaformof marketingthatdoesnotsolelyrelyondigital technologies,and
there wasa lotof merchandise for‘The Avengers’,andasthe mediaproductwas the highest
grossingfilmof 2012, it indicatesthatmarketingandconsumptioncanbe successful withdigital
technologieshavingamore minorrole.For‘The Avengers’,individual characterperfumeswere
created,whichall differedinfragrance,andcharactermerchandise wasreleasedin‘waves’.For
example,IronManand CaptainAmericamerchandisewasreleasedinthe firstwave,followedby
Thor and Hulkmerchandise inthe secondwave,andBlackWidow andHawkeye merchandise inthe
third.Thismerchandisingdidnotinvolve digital technologies,yetitwasstill extremelysuccessful,so
it suggeststhataudienceswill consumethe mediaproductdifferentlybypurchasingdollsandbags
withtheirfavourite characteron,anddo not have to be influencedbytrailersandavailable apps.
However,itcouldbe arguedthat audienceswouldonlyconsume the mediaproductandthe profits
withitdue to viewingafilmtrailerorparticipatinginaglobal social networkingevent,asthisis
where the informationtheyknowaboutthe filmhadcome from.
To conclude,Ithinkthat digital technologieshave abigrole inmarketingandconsumptionof films
because itultimatelycreatesawarenessandhype forthe product,andthe successfrom
merchandisingandothermarketing techniqueswouldgreatlybe downtothe successful use of
digital technologies.Some peoplemayargue thattechnologyisnotessential butinordertoappeal
to the audience andpublicisethe film, the technologyisnecessary,and‘The Avengers’supportsthis
as the variousdigital technologiesusedcreatedexcitementandanticipationforthe film, effectively
leadingtothe successof the product.
Examiners Commentary – This was a High Level 4 Response
 The candidate’sresponse here isdetailedandaccurate
 Consistentuse of mediaterminology
 Consistentaddressof the questionset
 There isan excellentcase studyonfilmwhichfullyaddressesthe question.
 The examplesfocusonThe Avengers –witha range of examplesutilised.
 It isa clearand coherentargumentwhichismeticulousinitsuse of detail and
exemplificationof ideas.
 Thisis linkedtothe marketingof the conceptandthe permutationsavailable inthe
global/national consumptionof thesefilms.
 The candidate has successfullydiscussed bothmarketingandconsumptionwithaccurate
knowledge of the filmtextandinstitutionalcontext.

3. Level 4 Mark Scheme
Explanation/analysis/argument (16-20 marks)
 Showsexcellentunderstandingof the task
 Excellentknowledge andunderstandingof
 Institutional/audiencepractices –factual knowledge is
 relevantandaccurate
 A clearand developedargument,substantiatedby
 detailedreference tocase studymaterial
 Clearlyrelevanttosetquestion
Use of examples (16-20 marks)
 Offersfrequentevidence fromcase studymaterial –awardmarks to reflectthe range and
appropriatenessof examples
 Offersafull range of examplesfromcase studyandown experience
 Offersexampleswhichare clearlyrelevanttothe set question
Use of terminology (8-10 marks)
 Use of terminology is relevant and accurate
 Complex issueshave beenexpressedclearlyandfluently.
 Sentencesandparagraphs,consistentlyrelevant,have beenwellstructured,using
appropriate technical terminology.
 There may be few,if any,errorsof spelling,punctuationandgrammar.